The occupational status of Puerto Rican women in New York City.

This study focuses on the occupational status and occupational sector placement of Puerto Rican women in New York City. In particular the authors explored the determinants of employment in professional technical sales and administrative support positions (white collar) as opposed to operative jobs. The data are from the Survey of Fertility Employment and Migration Among Puerto Rican Women. Logistic regression is used to compute a lambda measure for labor force selection bias. Ordinary least squares and logistic regression are then used to test the relative impact of predictive variables on occupational status and occupational sector placement. The results show that place of birth (migration) education having held multiple jobs and status of the primary parents job are consistent predictors of occupational status scores and occupational sector placement. In addition English proficiency having a young child mothers work experience and age variables are significant predictors of placement in white collar or operative jobs. (authors)